Hinge for knee brace

ABSTRACT

A lockable hinge for a knee brace with an actuator permitting the hinge to be locked or unlocked while the knee brace is worn beneath clothing. The hinge includes two elongated hinge arms joined together at a centrally located pivot point. The locking mechanism is located near the pivot point and includes a spring biased pin effective to engage aligned openings in both hinge arms. The pin is carried by an elongated spring and is disengaged from one hinge arm either by depressing a lever or a bowed portion of the spring which is readily accessible even through clothing.

[451 Aug. 12, 1975 United States Patent 1 Lewis, deceased et a1.

61 MM mm m a "n V h mm .mn u" 0 mm n mm mm n 0 mm "3 W w n m R& em J n 6 r 1 r %9 M Mn it 3 mm. BA 5m 67 Mr mm .io. a r. 1 PA f o .w w h 60 a d m n e C M ey. wi A w m RL X B .L E n E na N m k tC K um HC m ms m E m N e I m Hl l. 45 57 [l ABSTRACT A lockable hinge for a knee brace with an actuator [73] Assignee: Surgical Appliance Industries, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio Sept. 26, 1974 [22] Filed:

permitting the hinge to be locked or unlocked while the knee brace is worn beneath clothing. The hinge includes two elongated hinge anns joined together at a [21] Appl. No: 509,449

[52] U.S. C1. 16/145 centrally located pivot point. The locking mechanism [51] Int. E05D 11/10 is located near the pivot point and includes a Spring [58] Field of Search.......... 16/ 128 R, 129, 139, 140, biased pin effective to engage aligned openings in both hinge arms. The pin is carried by an elongated spring and is disengaged from one hinge arm either by de- References Cited pressing a lever or a bowed portion of the spring UNITED STATES PATENTS which is readily accessible even through clothing.

514,890 Heilmann.............................. 16/141 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 1 2 I975 SHEET PATENTED AUG 1 21975 SHEET HINGE FOR KNEE BRACE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the field of knee braces and is especially directed to a new lockable hinge for a knee brace of the type which can be selectively adjusted either to hold the wearers leg in a relatively straight, extended position when desired, or to permit the knee to flex for the wearers comfort, e.g., when he is sitting.

Knee braces known in the prior art generally include a sleeve of stretch fabric which encircles the wearers knee. Pockets are provided on the outside of the stretch fabric sleeve on both sides of the knee joint for holding hinges with elongated arms in place along the wearers thigh and calf.

Some prior art knee braces have, in addition, included hinge locks so that the hinge could be locked in an extended position in which the wearers leg is held relatively straight. These prior art locks also provided a means for unlatching the lock to permit the leg to be bent under certain conditions. While these prior art hinges provided some advantage over knee braces of the type which were either always held rigid or could always be flexed, the locks themselves suffered from one or more serious disadvantages. Some of the locks were relatively bulky and expensive, some were of such a construction that they tended to catch on the wearers clothing, and none could readily be manipulated by the wearer from the outside of his trouser leg.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock for a knee brace, the lock being effective to hold the wearers leg in at least one extended position and being releasable by the wearer to permit the knee to be flexed, for example, when the wearer is sitting.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hinge for a knee brace which can be quickly and easily locked and unlocked by the wearer, and can be just as easily relocked. More particularly, the present lock can be unlocked merely by applying lateral pressure against a release member. This release member is either a separate lever or a bowed portion of a spring which can be readily locked outside the trouser leg without any necessity for rolling up the trouser leg. In one embodiment, the hinge is automatically locked when the wearer straightens his leg. In a second embodiment, it is only necessary to apply pressure against the release member while the wearers leg is straightened. Thereafter, the pressure is released and the hinge is locked.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hinge which can be locked to hold the wearers leg in any of a plurality of selected positions, e.g., straight, or at an acute or right angle.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, simple, inexpensive, and reliable lockable hinge which will not catch on the trouser and which is invisible in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION This invention is predicated on the concept of providing a lockable hinge for knee braces comprising three principal elements, i.e., two pivoted hinge members each having a pin-receiving aperture and a spring arm carrying a locking pin which is urged toward the arms and is effective to enter the apertures when they are aligned to lock the hinge arms in position.

The present hinge is adapted for use with knee braces made of stretch fabric and including side pockets for carrying hinges on opposite sides of the wearers knee. Each hinge includes two arms which are pivoted at the central portion of the hinge which is disposed at the knee joint. The upper arm extends along the wearers thigh, the lower arm along his calf. When the wearer desires his leg to be held in an extended position, he merely straightens his leg and the locking pin, which normally extends through an aperture in one hinge arm, snaps into the aligned aperture of the second hinge arm. The hinge arms are thus locked together automatically and prevent bending of the wearers leg. When the wearer desires to bend his leg, e.g., when he sits down, he merely presses inwardly on the spring member to retract the pin from the aperture in one hinge arm, freeing the hinge arms for relative pivotal movement.

These and other objects and advantagesof the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of the original disclosure.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a knee brace having a lockable hinge of the invention supported thereon.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the hinge of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the hinge lock in its locked position.

FIG. 4 is a cross view similar to the view of FIG. 3 showing the hinge lock in its unlocked position.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the hinge lock mechanism showing the hinge arms locked in a second selected, angulated position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative hinge lock mechanism with the hinge shown in its locked position.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 77 of FIG. 6 showing the hinge lock in its locked position.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 7--7 of FIG. 6 showing the hinge lock in its unlocked position.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the hinge lock showing the hinge arms in an angulated and unlocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a typical knee brace 10 fitted with hinges of the present invention. The knee brace 10 includes a cylindrical sleeve 12 made of a one-way stretch fabric which is stretchable circumferentially so that the sleeve 12 can be positioned and held about a wearers knee.

Disposed on the outer surface of the sleeve 12 is a hinge shown generally at 14. A second, identical hinge (not shown) is also located on the outer surface of the sleeve 12 at a position opposite that for the hinge l4, i.e., on the opposite side of the knee joint. The hinges 14 are effective to maintain the wear ers leg in one or more selected extended positions and to provide additional lateral support for the wearers knee.

The hinge 14 includes an elongated upper arm and an elongated lower arm 18 made of steel or the like. Each arm includes an offset portion 17, 19, which portions are pivotally joined together at a centrally located pivotal connection 20.

Each hinge 14 is carried on the knee brace by two spaced pockets shown generally at 22 and 24. These pockets 22 and 24, in a preferred form, comprise strips of material sewn to the exterior surface of the sleeve 12 to form elongated open-ended pockets into which the upper arm 16 and the lower arm 18 are inserted, respectively.

Two spaced slots 26 and 28 are cut through the outer wall of pocket 22 near the upper end thereof, and similar slots 34 and 36 are formed in lower pocket 24. Upper and lower straps 30 and 32 pass through the slots which hold the straps in position on the knee brace 10. The straps 30 and 32 extend completely around the wearers thigh and calf. When tightened snugly about the wearers leg, straps and 32 prevent slippage of the knee brace from the proper position in which pivot 20 lies on the side of the knee joint. With the pivot 20 so positioned, upper hinge arm 16 extends along the wearers thigh while hinge arm 18 extends along his calf.

The function of hinge 14 is to provide additional lateral support to the knee and to provide means for holding the leg in one or more selected positions. For example, the hinge of FIGS. 1-5 is effective to hold the leg in any one of three positions: substantially straight, with approximately a bend, and with approximately a 90 bend. It will be understood that the present invention also contemplates a hinge which can be locked in only one position. In any case, however, the hinge can also be unlocked to permit the wearers knee to be flexed to its most comfortable position, e.g., when he is seated.

The hinge comprises an upper hinge arm 16 formed of flat steel or the like. The hinge arm can be of any suitable dimensions. In one preferred embodiment, the overall length of the arm is slightly over 6% inches, while the width of the arm is approximately /8 inch, and its thickness of 1/16 inch. The arm 14 includes a rounded, upper end and an offset angulated lower portion 17. As best shown in FIG. 3, the lower portion 17 is laterally offset from the plane of the remainder of the arm so that it is spaced outwardly from the .wearers knee to provide room for accommodating the pivot structure. This prevents formation of a localized pressure area which might irritate the wearer. In addition to being offset laterally, lower portion 17 of arm 16 extends angularly beyond one edge 21 of the main portion of the arm.

Hinge 14 also includes a lower hinge arm 18. This hinge arm again can be of any suitable length and in one preferred embodiment is approximately 5% inches, with the main portion of the arm being /8 inch wide. Lower arm 18 includes a rounded, lower end and an offset upper portion 19. Portion 19 is offset laterally from the main plane of arm 18 in a direction away from the wearers knee, again for the purpose of providing space for the pivot pin 20. Portion 19 is angulated with respect to the main portion of arm 18 and extends out wardly beyond the side edge 23 of the main portion of the arm.

Arms 16 and 18 are spaced apart slightly by a suitable washer 25 and are pivotally joined together in any suitable manner, such as by means of a rivet 20 which extends through aligned openings in projecting portions 17 and 19. Upper arm 16 is further provided with a locking aperture 40 formed in the lower section 17 of the arm in an area overlying section 19 of the lower arm. Section 19 of the lower arm is provided with three locking apertures 41, 42 and 43 formed at a radius R from the center of pivot 20 equal to the distance of aperture 40 from the center of pivot 20. Thus, if the lower hinge is rotated relative to the upper hinge, each of the three apertures 41, 42 and 43 in the lower arm can be brought into registry with the aperture 40 in the upper arm.

In the preferred embodiment, aperture 41 registers with aperture 40 when the arms 16 and 18 are colinear. Aperture 42 is aligned with aperture 40 when the arms are angulated at approximately 45, and aperture 43 is aligned with aperture 40 when the arms are angulated at approximately It will, of course, be appreciated that by altering the relative position of apertures 41, 42 and 43, the position of arms 16 and 18 when the apertures are aligned can be selectively varied.

In addition to the two arms, the present hinge further comprises a pin-supporting spring arm 44. This arm is formed of a lightweight spring metal and includes two outwardly bowed portions 45 and 46 which meet in an inwardly curved center portion 47. Center section 47 is loosely joined to the upper arm 16 in any suitable manner, such as by means of a rivet 48, the rivet permitting rocking movement of the spring arm relative to the hinge arm. Bowed portions 45 and 46 are spaced from the adjacent portions of the upper arm.

The lower end of the hinge arm carries locking pin 51. The pin includes a cylindrical portion 50 disposed within opening 40 of upper arm 16. The diameter of cylindrical portion 50 is slightly smaller than the diameter of openings 40-42 so that the pin can slide freely in and out of the apertures. Pin 51 is a double-headed pin having an outer head 52 disposed on the outer surface of the spring arm and an inner head 53 in engagement with the inner surface. These inner and outer heads are spaced apart a distance somewhat in excess of the thickness of the spring arm. Again, the diameter of the pin is slightly smaller than the hole in the spring arm through which the pin passes.

By virtue of this construction, the locking pin is at all times journalled in aperture 40 of the upper hinge arm. The pin is spring urged inwardly, i.e., towards the lower hinge arm. Thus, when one of the apertures of the lower hinge arm is in alignment with the pin, the pin enters the aperture. The pin is retracted from engagement with the lower arm by pressing inwardly against outwardly bowed section 45. This causes the free end of the spring arm to press against the hinge arm [and causes the hinge arm to rock around rivet 48 so that the free end of bowed section 46 and pin 51 move outwardly to disengage the pin from the opening in the lower arm. However, even when upper bowed section 45 is depressed to withdraw the pin from the lower section, the pin remains in contact with the opening 40 in the upper arm to prevent lateral rotation of the spring arm. l

In operation, the brace is worn under the wearers trousers. Because the hinge is compact and relatively flat, no unsightly bulges are produced. Assuming that the wearer desires to lock his leg in' the straight, extended position, he merely swings the leg upwardly until aperture 41 is brought into alignment with the end 50 of pin 51. When this occurs, the pin automatically drops into the aperture to lock the hinge in position. Thereafter, the two hinge members are locked against relative movement and the wearers leg is held straight.

It will be appreciated that if the lower hinge member 18 is provided with more than one aperture as shown in FIG. 2, it may be necessary to press inwardly on bowed section 45 until both apertures 42 and 43 have been rotated past pin 51. This operation is readily accomplished from outside of the trouser leg. Specifically, the wearer can feel a slight bulge on the upper bowed portion 45 and can easily apply an inwardly directed pressure against the bowed section. It will be apprecia ted that the leg can be locked in either a 45 position or a 90 position, if desired, by withdrawing pin 5 1 and positioning the leg at the desired angle to bring either aperture 42 or aperture 43 into registry with the pin 51.

When the wearer desires to release the lock, for example, when sitting, he again merely locates bowed portion 45 through his trouser material and presses this bowed portion inwardly to retract pin 51 from the openings in the lower hinge member.

An alternative form of the hinge is shown in FIGS. 6-9. In FIG. 6, the upperand lower hinge arms 56 and 58 are identical with hinge arms 16 and 18, respectively, except that hinge arm 18 is provided with only a single locking aperture 61 corresponding to locking aperture 41. The hinge members are pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 80 which is identical to pivot pin 20.

The difference between the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 6 is in the locking means. More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the modified embodiment locking pin 90 is mounted upon the end of a flexible spring member 82 secured to the arm 56 by a loose rivet connection at 84 which forms the lever fulcrum. The lowermost end of the spring member 82, as viewed in FIG. 6, contains an aperture which receives the cylindrical portion of the pin 90 between the spaced inner and outer heads 85 and 86 thereof. Spring member 82 is thus effective to support pin 90 and to bias the pin inwardly. The cylindrical endwise portion of the pin passes through an aperture 92 in the upper arm and is thus biased toward the lower arm. Pin 90 is disposed to enter an aperture 94 in the lower hinge member 58 and thus to lock the hinge members against rotation whenever aperture 94 is aligned with aperture 61.

The locking mechanism of the alternative embodiment also includes a lever arm 93 which is loosely supported upon rivet 84. The lower end of lever arm 93 is provided with a recess which receives the portion of pin 82 between the inner and outer heads. Thus, lever arm 93 is configurated to form two end-like finger members 97 disposed between the inner and outer heads of pin 90 and is thereby effective, upon movement of the lever, to force the pin inwardly or outwardly.

The operation of the modified form of hinge is much like the operation of the preferred embodiment. More particularly, the hinge is adapted for use with the same types of braces and is positioned relative to the wearers leg in the same manner. Assuming that the wearer desires to straighten and lock his leg in a straight position, it is only necessary that he physically straighten his leg. When his leg is straight, the aperture 61 in the lower hinge member will be brought into alignment with the end of pin 90. Since the pin is spring urged inwardly by spring 82, the cylindrical end of the pin will enter the aperture in the lower member and lock th hinge members against rotation.

In the event that the wearer wishes to unlock the hinge to permit flexure of his knee, he merely feels his trouser leg tolocate the upper end of the actuating lever. He then presses inwardly against the end of this lever to cause the lever to rock about rivet 84. This movement in turn iseffective to withdraw pin from the aperture in the lower hinge member, freeing that member for rotation. As in the preferred embodiment, however, the cylindrical end portion of pin 90 remains in engagement with the aperture in the outer hinge member to prevent lateral rotation of the pin, spring member 82 and actuating member 93.

From the foregoing description of the objects and advantages of the present invention, and the above disclo sure of two preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the modifications which may be made in the hinge construction without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, I desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising:

a first and a second elongated hinge arm;

a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another;

each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, a locking pin, and a locking pin support member;

means supporting said locking pin support member upon said first arm, said pin being in alignment with said locking aperture in said first arm;

spring means urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture in said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when the aperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and

means responsive to lateral pressure for causing said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.

2. The lockable hinge of claim 1 in which said pin is disposed at all times within the locking aperture in said first arm.

3. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising:

a first and a second elongated hinge arm;

a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another;

each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, and a locking pin;

a spring member mounted upon said first arm and carrying said locking pin, said spring member supporting said pin in alignment with said locking aperture in said first arm;

said spring member urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture in said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when theaperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and

a lever pivotally mounted upon said first arm, said lever being effective in response to lateral pressure to cause said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.

4. The lockable hinge of claim 3 in which said spring member is an elongated leaf spring having an opening in the free end thereof and in which said pin is provided with two spaced heads, the pin passing through said opening in the leaf spring with the heads being disposed on opposite sides thereof.

5. The lockable hinge of claim 4 in which said lever member overlies said leaf spring and engages said pin intermediate said spaced heads.

6. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising:

a first and a second elongated hinge arm;

a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another;

each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, and a v locking pin;

an elongated leaf spring member carrying said locking pin at one end thereof;

means pivotally supporting the center portion of said spring member upon said first arm, said pin being in alignment with said locking aperture in said first said spring member urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture in said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when the aperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and

said spring member being rocked in response to lateral pressure upon the portion remote from said pin for causing said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.

7. The lockable hinge of claim 6 in which said pin is disposed at all times within the locking aperture in said first arm.

8. The lockable hinge of claim 6 in which said elongated spring has an opening receiving said locking pin and said locking pin has two spaced heads disposed on opposite sides of said spring. 

1. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising: a first and a second elongated hinge arm; a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another; each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, a locking pin, and a locking pin support member; means supporting said locking pin support member upon said first arm, said pin being in alignment with said locking aperture in said first arm; spring means urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture iN said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when the aperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and means responsive to lateral pressure for causing said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.
 2. The lockable hinge of claim 1 in which said pin is disposed at all times within the locking aperture in said first arm.
 3. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising: a first and a second elongated hinge arm; a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another; each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, and a locking pin; a spring member mounted upon said first arm and carrying said locking pin, said spring member supporting said pin in alignment with said locking aperture in said first arm; said spring member urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture in said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when the aperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and a lever pivotally mounted upon said first arm, said lever being effective in response to lateral pressure to cause said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.
 4. The lockable hinge of claim 3 in which said spring member is an elongated leaf spring having an opening in the free end thereof and in which said pin is provided with two spaced heads, the pin passing through said opening in the leaf spring with the heads being disposed on opposite sides thereof.
 5. The lockable hinge of claim 4 in which said lever member overlies said leaf spring and engages said pin intermediate said spaced heads.
 6. A lockable hinge for a knee brace, said hinge comprising: a first and a second elongated hinge arm; a pivot connection between said first and second hinge arms, said pivot connection being disposed near one end of each arm, whereby said arms can be rotated to a plurality of angular positions relative to one another; each of said arms having a locking aperture formed therein spaced from said pivot connection, and a locking pin; an elongated leaf spring member carrying said locking pin at one end thereof; means pivotally supporting the center portion of said spring member upon said first arm, said pin being in alignment with said locking aperture in said first arm; said spring member urging said pin through the aperture in said first arm and toward said second arm, said pin being effective to enter the aperture in said second arm to lock said hinge arms in a predetermined angular position when the aperture in said second arm is brought into alignment with said pin; and said spring member being rocked in response to lateral pressure upon the portion remote from said pin for causing said pin to be shifted outwardly and withdrawn from the aperture in said second hinge member to free said hinge members for relative rotation.
 7. The lockable hinge of claim 6 in which said pin is disposed at all times within the locking aperture in said first arm.
 8. The lockable hinge of claim 6 in which said elongated spring has an opening receiving said locking pin and said locking pin has two spaced heads disposed on opposite sides of said spring. 